Type-writer carriage.



PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903.

L. S. BURRIDGE.

TYPE WRITER CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.1 1893.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

u lllllllu....,

u mum H WITNESSES z: 1 -INVENTORQ" 2% h zeem mig a ATTORNEYS No.720,219. PATENTED FEB. 10, v1903. L. S. BURRIDGE. TYPE WRITER CARRIAGE.

APPLIUATIOH FILED 00121, 1898.

no menu. 5 SHEETS-SHEET a.

, INVENTOR Lqedfiurfl9 BY I ATTORNEYS -11. an HE. Q S S u w c n &R M i Tm S n m w w Q Q 0 Nu nm E. H M

No. 720,219. PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903.

' L. s. BURRIDGE.

TYPE WRITER OARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED 001.l, 1898.

N0 MODEL. 5 $HEETS-SHEET 3.

' WITNESSES INVENTOR gazfifnw I Laedfiarriafiq ATTORNEYS PATENTED FEB.10, 1903.

L. s. BURRIDGE, TYPE WRITER CARRIAGE.

APPLIOATIDN FILED OOT I, 189B.

5 SHEETS-SHEE'1 4.

N0 MODEL.

- NVENTOR JIM".

{MM @m g WITNESSES:

RNEYS No. 720,219. PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903.

L. S. BURR IDGE. TYPE WRITER CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED 00w. 1, 1898. no MODEL.

" WITNESSES: v INVENTOR TTORNEYS m: NORRIIS PETERS co. iHOYD-LTHQ.WASHINOYON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE S. BURRIDGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION TYPE- WRITERCOMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NE\V JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITER CARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 720,219, datedFebruary 10, 1903.

Application filed October 1, 1898. Serial No. 692,398. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:-

Be itknown that I, LEE S. BURRIDGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-WriterCarriages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in type-writer carriages, and hasespecial referra ence to the carriages of machines with individualtype-bars, each carrying a plurality of types, although certain featuresof the invention are applicable to other forms of typewriting machines.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of a type-writing machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional View of same, theplane of section being indicated by the dotted line 2 2, Fig. 1. Figs. 3and 4 are respectively side and rear views. Figs. 5, 6, and 7showdetails.

A represents the frame or base of the machine, and B the type-barspivotally supported thereon at a. The type-bars B are provided withretracting-springs 5 and are guided in slots 0 in a horizontalcomb-plate 0. Each type-bar 13 carries atits upper end.

a type-block I), having a plurality of types 0 formed thereon or affixedthereto. I prefer to form it with three type, arranged one aboveanother, correspondingto three different positions of the platen, ashereinafter described.

' 5 The horizontal comb-plate Cis fastened to and supported above thebase A by a vertical comb-plate C, fastened in any suitable manner tothe base A. Vertical slots 0' in this comb-plate receive and guide thekeylevers D, carrying the keys (1, and said keylevers are pivoted attheir inner ends to a support or fulcrum,as hereinafter described, andhave dow'nwardly-proj ectin g arms 7, carrying pins 8, engaging innotches 9 in the 5 lower portion of the respective type-bars. As thekey-levers are depressed they carry the pins 8 downward, and thus throwthe typebars forward. Owing to the are or segmental form of thepivot-rod for the type-bars and 5c the consequent segmental dispositionof said bars the latter are caused when inaction to move toward theplaten in converging paths,

the point of meeting of these paths being the point at which impressionis effected against the platen. The slots 0 in comb-plate O are ofcourse properly arranged to conform t these converging paths.

The cylindrical platen E is substantially in the same horizontal planeas the types (it p is here shown slightly below them) and is turned inthe usual manner on a carriage F by a knob e. The carriage is supportedby arms f, attached to the carriage-frame and loosely embracing ahorizontal rod G, which is arranged below and parallel with the carriageand is guided at the ends in slots 10, formed in vertical standards 11on the base. Shifting devices, hereinafter described, support this rod Gin the said slots at different elevations corresponding to the severalsets of types on the type-bars. Thus there being in this case threetypes on each type-bar the platen is, by the aforesaid devices, held inany one of three diiferent elevations, so as to cause one or another ofthese types to'come against the 7 platen when the corresponding key isstruck.

The key-levers D are here shown as supported on ayielding fulcrumconsisting of a U -frame 30, whose two arms embrace and are pivoted to acentral standard 31, projecting up from the base of the machine, has aknifeedge 32 bearing down on the top of the rear ends of the key-levers,said knife-edge engaging in notches 33 in the tops of the keylevers.Another U-frame 34, embracing and pivoted to the standard 31, bears upagainst the bottom of said key levers. A strong spring or springs 35holds the frame 30 down against a fixed stop 36, and a weaker spring 36holds the frame 34 up against the keylevers. This construction is fullydescribed and claimed in my application, Serial No. 669,807.

At the back of the carriage F is the escapement rack-bar 12, whosesmooth rear edge 5 runs against the periphery of a roller 13, mounted ona vertical pivot on the top of a standard 15. The carriage is thus heldagainst backward movement, and the roller 13 is made of sufficientlength or height to permit I00 of the above-described up-and-downmovement of the carriage without the bar 12 leaving the roller 13. Thecarriage is so constructed that its center of gravity is in rear of thesupporting and guiding bar G, and thus its rearmost memberto wit, therack-bar 12- rests normally against the roller 13.

The escapement mechanism consists of a sliding vertical plate P and avertical plate P, carried by a vertical pivot-post 16, pivoted in thebrackets 17 and 18, extending from standard 15. The plate P slides onthe plate P and is held toward the starting end of the carriage by aspring 19, which is attached at its opposite ends to the respectiveplates. Vertical knife-edge flanges p p are formed, respectively, onsaid two plates and form escapement teeth or detents which engage withthe teeth on the front side of the rack-bar 12. The detents are made inthis vertical knifeedge form so as to maintain engaging relation withthe rack as the carriage is moved up or down by the shifting mechanismhereinafter described, the width of the detents being sufficient toenable them to maintain contact with the rack-bar at all verticalpositions thereof. An arm 20 on pivot-post 16, working again-st anadjustable screw-stop 95, is connected by link 21 to an arm 22 of theuniversal lever, whose other arm 24 is in the form of a U frameextending under all of the type-key levers, so as to be operated by thedepression of any one of said levers, and also carries an arm 25,engaging with a pin 26 the spacing-key 27. A spring 28 serves to holdthe arm 22 of the universal lever toward the back of the machine, andthereby to normally so turn the pivot-post 16 as to force the detent 19into engagement with the rack 12. Under these circumstances the rack-barunder the impulse of the carriage-propelling spring 40 (which isconnected to the carriage by the usualdrum 48 and a flexible connection41 wound thereon) drives the plate P in the direction of the arrow inFig. 6 until its knifeedge flange strikes the end of the plate P, whichacts as a stop, and the carriage is thus brought to rest. As soon as anykey-lever, whether of a type or space key, is depressed it operatesthrough the universal mechanism above described to turn the pivot-post16 and the plates PP, carried thereby, so as to carry the detentp intoengagement with the rack and then to free the detentp from suchengagement. The detentp catches the rack before it is released andprevents any movement thereof, while the detentp is protracted by itsspring 19 into position for engagement with the next succeeding tooth.Such engagement is, however, prevented by the angular position of theplates P P until the key-lever is released, whereupon the plates areturned in the reverse direction and the detent p is thus brought intoengagement with the rack and the detent then released therefrom. Thecarriage-propelling spring then drives the rack-bar, as before, untilthe detent p is stopped by the end of the plate P. Thus the carriage isadvanced one tooth on each operation of the universal spacing mechanism.

At Figs. 6 and 7 is shown diagrammatically the position of the plates PP when the key-lever is released, and hence during the return of theuniversal bar and connected parts to normal position. At these figuresthe carriage is just beginning its letter-space movement toward theleft, as indicated by the arrow at Fig. 6. These figures also illustratethe protracted position assumed by the plate P during the returnmovement of the carriage to the right.

In order to enable the carriage to be drawn freely in the reversedirection whenever desired, the plate P is mounted loosely on plate P bymeans of studs 43 44 on plate P, passing through slots 45 in plate P,the stud 44 farther from the toothed end having a head holding the plateP in plate P, but said head being removed sufficiently from the plate topermit the other end of plate P to be tilted away from plate P, so as toallow the detent p to ride freely over the rack-teeth when the inclinedfaces of same strike the said detent. The head of the pin, to which theleft-hand end of the spring 19 is secured, has accordingly a horizontalpivotal motion about the axis 44 during the vibration of the plate P bythe teeth of the rack, thereby slightly stretching the spring 19.Whenever the toothp escapes over the point of a rack-tooth, the spring19 is enabled by swinging the said pin and plate P about the stud 44 asa pivot to cause the right-hand end of the plate P to swing horizontallyrearwardly, so that said tooth p enters the next notch in the rack. Inother words, the plate P may be regarded as a lever of the first orderwith a vertical axis or fulcrum upon the screw 44, which screw, as wellas the screw 43, is attached to the relatively fixed plate P. One end ofthe spring 19 being attached to the screw 43 on the fixed plate and theopposite end to the pin on the movable plate the said spring has anormal tension to hold the plate P against or parallel with the plate P.At the same time, owing to the disposition of the spring 19, it iscapable of moving the plate P longitudinally for letter-spacingmovements, as explained, and it will be observed that owing to thepeculiar connection and arrangement of the spring 19 when the lever-likeplate P is vibrated by the return movement of the rack the said spring19 is put under further ten sion, whereby the dog 1) is enabled to bobinto the next notch of the returning rack. Hence the spring 19 servesthe double purpose of holding the plate P in yielding contact with theplate P, as well as of protracting the plate P for engagement with thenext tooth, as above described. It being understood that the detent p isnormally disengaged from the rack-bar, it is clear that the carriage maybe completely freed from the escapement at any time by pressing theplate P forward so as to release the detent p. from the-rack. To effectthis, I provide a lever or 'arm M, having an operating-key m andfastened to a rock-shaft 90, with an arm m arranged to engage with orstrike against t'heplate P when said key is depressed, so as to pushsaid plate forward and release the detent p, whereupon the carriage maybe freelymoved in either direction. Arm M has a spring m for returningit to normal position.

represents the ink-ribbon carried by ribbon-spools 51 and passingthrough a vibrating frame 52, which is so connected to the universalspacing mechanism as to carry the ribbon toward and away from the platenas the type approaches and leaves the platen. For this purpose the frame52 is pivoted to the standard 31 and has an arm 52 connected to the arm22 of the universal spacing mechanism, such connection being preferablyeffected through an intermediate lever 53, which permits the ink-ribbonframe to yield when it comes in contact with the platen, so as not toprevent the continued movement of the universal spacing mechanism. Thislever 53 engages by a pin 54 with a slot 55-on 'the arm 52 of frame 52and is pivoted to the arm 22, a spring 56 holding an arm 53 of saidlever 53 against a stop 57, so that vibration of the universal spacingmechanism causes vibration of theframe 52, as aforesaid. The spring 56is stiff enough to hold the lever 53 ordinarily against its stop duringsuch motion, but permits the frame 52 to yield when brought upagainstthe platen, as aforesaid.

Fixed guide-plates 58 59 are placed, respectively, above and below theprinting-pointthat is to say, the point at which the type strike theplaten-these guide-plates being placed far enough apart to permit thepassing of the ribbon and the type-blocks between them and beingsupported by the standard 31. Each of these fixed guide-plates has anotch in line with the printing-point to in-- sure exact alinement ofthe type in printing, and the type-blocks 6 are mounted on stems b,which engage in such notches both above and below the type-block. 'Oneach side of said notches the forward sides of the guideplate are flaredforward and outward in V,

shape, with the aforesaid notch at the apex, so as to insure the passageof the type-block stems into said notches.

I will now describe the mechanism whereby the carriage, with the platencarried thereby, is shifted vertically to correspond to the differentsets of type on the type-blocks. Normally the carriage is supported inan intermediate or central position, and it is shifted up or down, asthe case may be, by a two-armed shift-key lever L, whose arms Z Z,carry, respectivel y, the raisin g-key 7c and the depressing-key W. Theshift-lever L engages by a pin 76 with an arm 77, fastened to arock-shaft 78, passing from end to end of the machine and journaled inthe standards 11. The rockshat't 78 also carries at the respective endsof the machine arms or plates 79, wherein are formed eccentric slots 80,which receive the carriage-supporting rod G. Said rod G slides up anddown in the slots 10 in standards 11, and a vertical arm 81 on each endof said rod passes down through and slides in a hole in a lug 82 on saidstandard. Springs 83 between the rod G and lugs 82 are of such lengththat when the said rod is depressed from its middle position thesesprings will tend to force it upward, but when said rod is raised fromits middle position it leaves said springs, and thus tends to return tosuch position by the action of gravity. The cam-slots are formedwith adepression or rest in the middle, and in the normal position of theshiftkey L (shown in Fig. 2) this portion of the cam-slots is inengagement with the rod G, thus holding the carriage and platen in thenormal or mean position. On striking either of the shift-keys the arms79 will be thrown one way or another, and the eccentric'portions of thecam-slots 80 will engage with the rod G and force the carriage up ordown, as the case may be, the three positions of the rod correspondingto the positions of the type on each type-block, as above stated. Sincethe arms 79 move alike, both ends of the platencarriage are forced up ordown'simultaneously by the cams 80, and hence the platen is alwaysmaintained in a horizontal position. In other words, the position of theplaten at each shift is parallel with its position at the other shifts,thus preserving the 'alinement of the writing. A spring 85 may also bearranged on thebase to engage with the arm 77 when the latter isdepressed so as to kick the carriage back to its middle position. Theupward motion of the spring 85 is limited by a screw-stop 86.

1 It will benoted that the pivots of the spacing-dogs P and P arearranged transversely of the carriage letter-spacing movements and thatall parts of the dog-teeth pand 19' have the same amount of motion, sothat no disturbance of the rack-and-dog action arises in consequence ofshifting the carriage and rack vertically. It will also be observed thatthe described cam mechanism is constructed both to cause transversemovement of the platen and to maintain the platen in parallelism duringsuch movement thereof, this result being secured by arranging similarcams upon the arms 79. It will also be seen that a single guide-bar isarranged immediately under the platen-frame, that said platenframe issupported and adapted to move longitudinally upon said bar,and that theplatenframe is provided with a bar 12 parallel with said guide-bar andarranged to travel and bear upon a relatively fixed auxiliary abutmentor support arranged centrally of the machine and in rear of the platen;also, that guide bar or rail and provided with upwardlyextending armshaving means at their upper ends forimparting vertical movements to saidguide-bar, said arm being arranged at the end portions of saidguide-bar.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a type-writing machine, in combination with a series of type-barshaving a plurality of types on each bar, of the platen-carriage,shiftable relatively to said types, means for guiding saidplaten-carriage in its shifting motion, cam mechanism constructed toshift said platen in opposite directions from a central normal position,and constructed both to cause transverse movement of the platen and tomaintain the platen in parallelism during such transverse movementthereof and suitable shifting-keys for said cam mechanism, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of vertically-slottedstandards, a horizontal guide-rod arranged within the slots of saidstandards, means for vertically adjusting said rod and a paper-carriagesupported and guided upon said rod, substantially as set forth.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of the guiding-standards11, the horizontal rod G supported thereby and guided thereon,spring-supports for said rod, a carriage supported upon and movinglongitudinally upon said rod and suitable shifting mechanism for saidrod, substantially as set forth.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a supportinguide andshift-rod, the paper-carriage supported thereon and having capacity ofmovement longitudinally thereof and adapted to shift therewith, arack-bar fixed on said carriage so as to shift bodily therewith, and anabutment or supporting roller against which said rack-bar rests andtravels, substantially as set forth.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a supporting guide-rod,a paper-carriage supported on and having capacity of longitudinalmovement thereof, means for shifting said paper-carriage vertically anda supporting abutment-roller against which said paper-carriage rests andmoves and having suificient depth to accommodate the shifting motion ofsaid carriage, substantially as set forth.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, aplaten-frame, a series of type-bars arranged forwardly thereof, ahorizontal rail upon which said platen-frame is guided and by which itis shifted vertically, a

rock-shaft arranged parallel with said railand mounted upon a fixedportion of the machine, and means arranged upon said shaft for movingsaid rail in opposite vertical directions from a central normalposition, substantially as set forth.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, aplaten-frame, a series of type-bars arranged forwardly thereof, ahorizontal rail arranged below the platen upon which rail saidplaten-frame is guided, a rockshaft arranged below said rail andparallel therewith and mounted upon a fixed portion of the machine, andapair of arms fixed upon said rock-shaft and provided with means forimparting to said horizontal rail opposite vertical movements from acentral normal position, substantially as set forth.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, aplaten-frame, a horizontal rail upon which said platen-frame is guided,said rail being arranged below the platenframe, a rock-shaft, arms fixedupon said rock-shaft and adapted at their outer free ends to carry saidrail, and a key-operated lever also fixed upon said rock -shaft andadapted to impart movementthereto in opposite directions from a centralnormal position, substantially as set forth.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a pair of standardseach vertically slotted at its upper end, a horizontal rail extendingacross the machine and engaging said slots, a rock-shaft journaled insaid standards, and upwardlyextending arms fixed upon said rock-shaft,said arms being provided at their upper ends with means for positivelyengaging said horizontal rail and positively moving it and theplaten-frame vertically in opposite directions from a central normalposition.

10. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a platen, aplaten-frame, a horizontal rail upon which said platen-frame travels andby which it is guided, and a key-operated cam mechanism arranged at theend portions of said rail and adapted to cause transverse movements ofthe latter in opposite directions from acentral normal position,substantially as set forth.

11. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, aplaten-frame, a horizontal rail upon which said platen frame is guided,a key-operated rock-shaft arranged below said rail and paralleltherewith, and upwardly-extending arms fixed upon said rock-shaft, theupper ends of said arms being provided with cams with which said railengages and by which it is caused to move vertically in oppositedirections from a central normal position, substantially as set forth.

12. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen-frame, ashift-rail therefor, and a key-operated cam for shifting said rail andplaten-frame both ways from a normal central position, said cam beingprovided with a rest portion midway thereof, substantially as set forth.

13. In a type-writing machine, in combinatiouwith a shiftable andlongitudinally-moving paper-carriage, a rod wherewith said carriage hastraveling connection, suitable shiftkeys and cam levers or plates inoperative connection with said shift-keys and having log nation with aseries of keys, of a platen, a

structed both to cause transverse movement of the platen and to maintainthe platen in oppositedirections from a central normal position inparallelism at the transverse movement thereof, and a spring forreturning said cam mechanism.

15. In a type-writing machine, the combiplaten-frame, a rack securedupon said platenframe,'means for shifting said platen-frame and racktogether transversely, afeedingdog and a coacting detent-dog bothsuitably mounted upona fixed portion of the machine and suitablycontrolled by the keys and also adapted to control through said rack theletter-spacing movements of the carriage at all transverse positionsthereof,substantially as set forth, said feeding-dog being moved by therack at each. advance movement of the latter.

16. In a type-writing machine, the combination of alongitudinally-moving paper-carriage, a rack-bar carried thereby, meansfor shifting said paper-carriage transversely of said rack-bar,escapement-plates pivotally supported on the machine-frame and havingdetents engaging said rack-bar of sufficient width to maintain. contactwith said rack-bar in various positions of the carriage, the pivotalaxis of said plates being arranged transversely of the longitudinalmovements of the carriage, and means for vibrating the saidescapement-plates, substantially as set forth.

17. In a type-writing machine, the combination of alongitudinally-moving and transversely-shifting paper-carriage, a feedrackbar fixed thereto, a pivoted escapement-plate, a spring for holdingsaid plate normally disconnected from said rack-bar, a secondescapernent-plate arranged to slide upon the first and held by saidspring'mechanism in normal engagement with said rack-bar,-both of saidescapement-plates having teeth of sufficient Width to maintain contactwith said rack-bar during the transverse shifting movements of thecarriage, means for vibrating said plates and a spring for protractingsaid sliding escapement-plate substantially as setforth.

18. In a type-Writing machine, in combination with a paper-carriage, afeed rack-bar fixed thereto, a pivoted escapement-plate normallydisengaged from said rack-bar a second escapement-plate supported on thefirst so as to slide thereon and vibrate relatively thereto, means forvibrating said escapement-plates together and a spring for protractingsaid sliding escapement-plate and holding it in yielding contact withthe rack-bar, substantially as set forth.

19. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a'paper-carriage,means for shifting said paper-carriage, a pivoted escapementplateengaging said rack-bar and of sufficient width to maintain saidengagement in the :various movements of the paper-carriage, a secondescapement-plate having a spring for protracting it in a directionopposite to the letter-feeding movement of the carriage, and

for holding it in yielding contact to said rackbar and a lever andoperating-key therefor arranged to engage said second plate and disengage it from said rack-bar, substantially as set forth.

20. In a type-Writing machine, the combiversely-shifting paper-carriage,afeed rack-' bar fixed thereto, escapement-plates having detents ofsufficient-width to engage the teeth of said rack-bar at all transversepositions of the carriage, and a pivoted post upon which saidescapementplates are mounted, said pivoted post having suitableconnection with the universal spacing mechanism, substantially as setforth.

21. In a type-writing machine, the combination of alongitudinally-moving and transversely-shifting paper-carriage, arack-bar secured thereto, escapement-plates adapted to coact With saidrack-bar at allthe transverse positions thereof and having a commonpivotal support, and a spring for moving one of said plates in adirection opposite to the letter-feeding movement of the carriage.

22. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a series oftype-bars each having a plurality of types, of a platen-carriage, meansfor guiding the same, cam mechanism constructed to shift saidplaten-carriage from a normal position to a plurality of differentpositions and to constantly control the position of said carriage andmaintainthe platen in parallelism during its transverse movements, and aplurality of shift-keys for operating said cam mechanism.

LEE S. BURRIDGE.

Witnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, M. V. BIDGOOD.

